Broken Angel
by x Be My Muse
Summary: Sara's worst nightmare comes true, and the one person she can turn to is the least likely of them all.
1. Sara

I cut through the park and looped around, heading back to my apartment. Running a hand through my sweaty hair, I pushed my legs as hard as they could go. The vibration of my phone against my hip slowed me down. I put my hands on my knees, breathing heavily as I answered the phone.  
  
"Sidle," I answered.  
  
"Oh, Sarah, what have you been doing?" Nick joked when he heard my heavy breathing.  
  
"Shut up, Nick, I was just jogging."  
  
"Yeah, whatever," he said, still laughing. "Grissom wanted me to call you. He needs you here ASAP to go over the details of last night's case."  
  
"Ok, I'll be there in about half an hour," I said, quickly hanging up and sprinting back to the apartment to take a shower and get dressed.  
  
As I neared the apartment, I slowed to a jog and dug my keys out of my pocket. Fumbling with my keys in the lock, I could have sworn I heard a noise inside the apartment. Holding my breath, I silently cursed myself for leaving my gun inside.  
  
I slowly opened the door and crept inside, slipping through each room to check them. Of course, I found nothing out of the ordinary. "I need a break," I said aloud to myself.  
  
Shrugging, I stepped into the bathroom and into the shower. I relished in the feel of the cool water on my hot skin. Turning off the water, I wrapped myself in a towel, and used a second one to dry my hair. Again, I heard a sound from inside the apartment. I held my breath and waited, but nothing came. I slipped out the door and headed down the hall to my bedroom, where my gun was stored.  
  
"Get a grip, Sidle," I thought, this time angrily. "You're getting paranoid."  
  
I dropped the towel and slipped on a pair of jeans and an oversized Harvard University shirt. I stopped again, this time scared by the feeling of being watched. A chill ran up my spine. I spun around and, once again, found nothing.  
  
But, when I turned back around, I came face to face with someone. Tall, wearing all black with a black ski cap pulled low over his face, he stood staring at me. The only things that were visible were his eyes. They were warm, brown eyes that seemed to see all the way into my soul. Something about those eyes was familiar, too familiar.  
  
The man took a step towards me, and, in return, I took a few steps back. Towards the drawer. Towards my gun.  
  
Using my investigative senses, I searched him with my mind, trying to find a weapon of some sort. Finding none, I dashed backwards towards the dresser. Yanking the drawer open, I pulled out papers and searched for the gun.  
  
"Looking for this?" I jumped at the sound of the man's voice. Bolting upright, I found him facing me, my gun in his hand. But that's not what scared me. What scared me was the familiarity in his voice.  
  
He took another step towards me. I backed up until, to my horror, I found my back pressed flat against the wall. As he stepped closer, I forced my mind to remember everything that I was taught in my self-defense classes.  
  
I waited until he took another step closer, and then I lashed out with my right leg, catching him in the left thigh, just narrowly missing his groin. He bent over, in pain, and I dashed past him towards the door. However, he surprised me by grabbing me around the waist and spinning me back around to face him. Pinning my arms to my side, he leaned forward and kissed me, pressing his lips harshly against my own.  
  
Pulling his lips away from mine, he threw me down on the bed. He climbed over onto me, using his knees to hold my legs in place.  
  
He kissed me again and then harshly grabbed at my shirt, ripping it halfway down the center. I fought hard to remember everything I had ever learned as a CSI and in self-defense classes. But the feeling of his hands on my body shut my mind completely off. I closed my eyes tight and tried to imagine myself somewhere, anywhere, but where I was.  
  
As his hands reached my pants, I snapped back to reality. Screaming I reared my knee up and hit him square in the groin. Giving a cry of pain, the man covered my mouth with one hand and used the other to grab my bedside lamp. Using all of his strength, he slammed the lamp into the side of my head.  
  
I felt a dull pain beating through my skull, and a black darkness was tugging at the corner of my mind. I fought to stay conscious, fearing what might happen if I didn't. But I lost the battle, and my body gave in to the darkness.  
  
I awoke, a deep pain slicing through my head. I reached up and felt something wet and sticky on the side of my head. I brought my hand down and saw that it was red. Suddenly, the whole awful night came back to me.  
  
I shook as violent sobs racked my body. I rubbed the tears from my face and thought about what I should do. I realized that I should call someone. I racked my brain thinking of someone to call. Only one person came to mind; the person I would have least expected to ever go to for help.  
  
I reached for the phone and dialed the number that had become so familiar to me; only this would be the first time that I had ever called it for personal reasons. 


	2. Catherine

Notes: Hey ya'll! Thanks to all of ya'll that reviewed it and let me know what ya'll think. I got a lot of positive feedback. Sorry if this chapter's more boring than the last one. It'll get better. Trust me on that.  
  
"Where is Sara?" Grissom growled angrily. "She's never late."  
  
"Chill out, Griss," I said rolling my eyes. "It's only been 20 minutes."  
  
"Where could she be?" Nick asked anxiously, pacing back and forth in the breakroom, where they all waited impatiently for Sara to show up. "You know, I heard there was a bad accident on the highway." He stopped pacing and nervously looked at his watch again, for what must have been the hundredth time in the past 5 minutes.  
  
"Nick, Sara doesn't go through the highway to get here," I explained. "She only lives 5 minutes away."  
  
"You know, most accidents happen within a 5 mile radius of your house," Greg told them, walking into the room.  
  
"Greg," I scolded, "you're not helping."  
  
"Sorry," he said, holding up his hands in resignation.  
  
"I'm sure she's fine," I said, laughing inwardly at the guys' worry for out co-worker. I looked at the two lovesick men, Nick continually pacing the room and looking at his watch, and Grissom walking nervously back and forth between his office and the breakroom.  
  
My phone ringing brought each of us out of our own bubbles of thought. "I bet that's her," I said, laughing, as the guys all crowded around the table. I took out my cell and looked at the caller ID. "Yep, that's her."  
  
I flipped my phone open. "Sara, where are you? The guys are freaking out."  
  
I heard a small whimpering on the other end. "Sara?" I repeated, my smile dying on my lips and my laughter choking off into silence.  
  
"Cath?" I heard the small, shaky voice on the other end, and I almost thought that it wasn't really her, that it had been a wrong number. I checked the caller ID again, and then held the phone back up to my ear, convinced now that it was Sara.  
  
"Sara, are you ok?"  
  
"Cath, I need you," The small, un-Sara-like voice said.  
  
"Of course," I said, already standing and grabbing my stuff.  
  
"And, Cath," Sara added, quietly, "please come alone." And then she hung up.  
  
I listened to the dial tone for a few seconds and then quickly closed my phone and finished gathering my stuff together.  
  
"Catherine, what happened?" Grissom asked. "Is Sara OK?"  
  
"I don't know," I answered honestly. "Something's wrong, but she wouldn't say what. I'm heading over to her apartment now."  
  
"Well, I'm coming with you," Nick insisted, grabbing his coat and following me into the hallway.  
  
"You can't," I said, spinning around to face him. "She specifically asked for me to come alone." I saw his face fall in disappointment, "I'm sorry, Nick, but it's what she wants."  
  
He nodded and turned away, following Grissom back into the breakroom. I turned away and continued down the hall toward the parking lot. By the time I reached my car, I was running, my heart beating with fear and suspense, wondering what could be upsetting Sara so much that she would be forced to call me - ME!! Sara and I weren't enemies, but we'd never exactly been friends either.  
  
When I reached her apartment, my heart was pounding so hard that I thought I would faint. I jumped out of the car, almost leaving my keys in the ignition, and then I dashed up the front steps to her front door.  
  
As I reached the front door, I leaned against it to steady the pounding of my heart, and the door slipped open, throwing me into the apartment. I looked around, fear engulfing me. Sara would never leave the door unlocked - no matter what. I shook with fear and reached into my back pocket, thankful that I had decided to bring my gun along.  
  
"Sara?" I called out, tentatively.  
  
I heard the whimpering sobs coming from the back of the apartment, in the direction of Sara's bedroom. "Sara?" I called out again, still holding my gun out in front of me.  
  
When I entered Sara's bedroom, I found her lying in a crumpled heap on her bed. Her bedside lamp lay in broken pieces, scattered over the bed and the floor. "Sara, are you OK?" I called out as I neared the bed. I tucked my gun back into my back pocket and carefully stepped around the broken pieces to the bed.  
  
Sara raised her head slightly. I gasped at the sight of her bruised and swollen face, dried blood caking the left side of her face.  
  
"Sara, what happened?" I asked, my motherly instincts taking over as I sat on the bed next to her.  
  
She sat up, blinking her eyes rapidly as she did so, as if she was trying to assure herself that I was really there. As she sat up, I noticed her shaking hands holding up her tattered shirt against her chest.  
  
"Honey, what happened?" I asked again, wiping a sweaty piece of hair from her face and examining the cut on the side of her head. It might need stitches.  
  
"I was in here," she started, in small, broken phrases. Her voice was devoid of any emotion. "I had just gotten dressed. And then I turned around, and he was here." She stopped, biting her lip.  
  
"Who was here, sweetie?" I coaxed.  
  
"I don't know," she cried, her voice cracking. "He was wearing a black ski mask. All I could see were his eyes; these brown eyes that could almost see my soul. And then he came towards me. I tried to run for my gun, but he had it. He chased me to the bed. And then he hit me with the lamp. And then he.he.." She broke off into sobs, shaking uncontrollably.  
  
I moved closer, wrapping my arms around her. "It's OK, Sara," I choked out. "It'll all be ok." 


	3. Sara

I closed my eyes and lay back on the bed, hugging the pillow to my chest, faintly listening to Catherine as she rattled on and on about what we had to do. I let her take my hand and lead me to the hospital, where we had the tests done and spoke to the police. I walked as if in a dream. I listened to what the doctor and the police said, and I mechanically responded to their questions, but my mind wasn't there.  
  
It was like I had built a brick wall in my head, closing myself off from other people and from the awful memories from that day. I felt Catherine holding onto my hand the whole time, periodically squeezing it to reassure me that she was there, that she would always be there.  
  
I heard the police officers say that they were going to head over to my apartment to collect evidence, but it was like listening to the teacher in Charlie Brown. I heard their words, but they held no meaning for me.  
  
"Do you wanna stay at my house tonight?" Catherine asked, bringing me out of my funk.  
  
"What?" I asked, confused.  
  
"The policemen are going to be checking out your apartment for evidence all night. They think you would be better off spending the night elsewhere," she explained. "Would you like to stay with Lindsey and me?"  
  
I stared at her, surprised. Just this morning, we were barely on speaking terms, and now she was inviting me to stay at her place? I shook my head quickly. "I can't do that, Cath. You've done too much for me already today. I'll just find a hotel to stay at. I mean, it's only for a few nights."  
  
"Don't be silly, Sara. You can stay with me. As you said, it's only a few nights." Catherine shifted on her feet and nervously looked away. "Besides, the doctor doesn't think it's a good idea for you to be alone right now," she said softly.  
  
Hot anger flashed through me. "I don't need to be babysat," I snapped indignantly.  
  
Sara, please," Catherine pleaded. "Let me help you. This is what friends are for."  
  
"I felt tears burning under my lids. I turned away quickly, so she wouldn't see the pain in my eyes. And then I nodded. "Okay," I whispered in a small voice.  
  
"Great." Catherine took my arm and led me out to her car. The long ride to her house was filled with awkward, nervous silence. Catherine tried to break the silence by talking about Lindsey, her family, past cases, anything to get Sara's mind off of what had happened.  
  
Finally, Catherine just gave up avoiding the issue and hit it straight on. "What are you gonna tell Grissom?"  
  
"Huh?" I asked, confused by the sudden change of subject. "Why would I have to tell him anything?"  
  
"Well, you're going to need to file for a medical leave of absence, aren't you? If so, you're gonna need to tell him why. And this isn't something you can lie about."  
  
"Who says I have to take a leave of absence? I'll just take tonight off work and then go back tomorrow," I concluded.  
  
"Well, you're gonna need to tell them something. They were there when you called me today, Sara. They know something's wrong, and they're going to be asking questions."  
  
"Well, we'll worry about that when it happens," I replied, exhausted.  
  
"Fine."  
  
They pulled up in front of the house. "Lindsey's staying at my sister's house tonight," Catherine explained as she opened the front door to a piercing silence.  
  
I nodded and stepped into the kitchen. "Do you want something to drink?" Catherine asked. "Maybe some tea?"  
  
"Tea would be fine," I absently answered.  
  
As she set about fixing the drinks for us, I wandered into the living room and over to the mantel above the fireplace. I looked at each of the pictures. Eddie, Catherine, and Lindsey in front of their Christmas tree one year; Catherine and her sister; and then some pictures of the team. Grissom, Catherine, Nick and me; Warrick, Grissom, and Catherine; the whole team at a team holiday party a few years ago; Catherine, Nick, Hank and me; Nick, Warrick, Grissom, and - wait!  
  
I went back to the picture with Hank in it. Something about him in the picture made my pulse race and my palms sweat. I felt myself shaking. I could hear Catherine calling me into the kitchen to get my tea, but I tuned her out. I picked the picture up and held it close to my face, my gaze stuck on his eyes. The rich, brown eyes that I had gazed so lovingly into for so many months. And now, those were the same brown eyes that were giving my nightmares.  
  
I felt a lightheadedness wash over me. I felt myself let go of the photograph. I heard the sound of glass breaking against wood, and then my knees went out and I fell to the floor. 


	4. Grissom

"Warrick, I need your full report of last night's case," I said, grabbing a cup of coffee.  
  
"Coming right up, boss," he said with a smile, turning to walk away.  
  
I rolled my eyes, trying to hide a smile as I did so. I spun around to head back to my office, and I walked right into Nick. My coffee sloshed up over the side of the mug and splattered drops on the front of my shirt.  
  
"Oh, sorry, Griss," Nick said.  
  
"Don't worry about it," I answered, brushing away the drops.  
  
"Hey, do you guys know what happened to Sara?" Greg asked, appearing almost out of nowhere and almost making me spill my coffee again.  
  
"What do you mean?" I responded quickly.  
  
"Well, I was driving by her apartment and I saw police tape surrounding it.  
  
"What?!?!" Both Nick and I cried out.  
  
"So...I'm guessing that neither of you have any idea what I'm talking about, do you?" Greg asked, suddenly made nervous by the expressions on both men's faces.  
  
"I'll go call someone and try to find out," Nick replied, now even more worried about Sara then he was before.  
  
"I'm sure it's nothing," I said, more to convince myself than anyone else.  
  
"You're probably right, but there's no harm in being careful, right?" Nick started to walk away when the ringing of my cell phone made him turn around again.  
  
"Grissom," I answered, nervous now that Nick was practically hanging over my shoulder, listening for any information about Sara.  
  
"Gil? It's Catherine," she said quickly, seeming to be out of breath. I was suddenly nervous. She barely ever used my first name unless she was upset about something.  
  
"Catherine? Is everything ok?" I asked, worriedly.  
  
"Yes, I mean no, I mean.." She sounded nervous. That's never a good sign. "Sara passed out," she blurted out.  
  
"She WHAT?!?!" I yelled, drawing even more attention to the call. "Why? What happened?"  
  
"I'll tell you everything when you get here. I just need your help," she said, rushing on. "My place. Hurry please."  
  
"Yeah, I'll be right there," I said, already grabbing my jacket and keys.  
  
"Ok." And then she quickly added, "And come alone."  
  
"Of course," I said quickly, but realized that I was talking to an empty line. She had already hung up.  
  
I hurried out of the hallway, trying to avoid Nick's worried look.  
  
"Grissom," Nick called out, jogging to catch up with me. "What happened? Is Sara ok?" He grabbed my arm and pulled me to a stop.  
  
"Listen, Nick," I began impatiently, "I don't know anything. Catherine just asked me to get over there quickly. She needs my help with something."  
  
"Well, can I come with you?"  
  
I paused, taking my glasses off and cleaning them with the corner of my shirt. "Catherine.she asked.that I come.alone."  
  
I watched his face fall in disappointment and anger. "I'm sure it's nothing though," I added quickly, trying my best to reassure him.  
  
"Right, boss," He replied, turning away and heading back to the breakroom, his shoulders sagging in defeat.  
  
I turned and began walking quickly to the parking lot. By the time I reached my car, I was in a jog. I turned the car on, noticing, as I did so, that my hands had started shaking.  
  
"Calm down, Gil," I scolded myself aloud. "I'm sure everything's fine."  
  
I sped out of the parking lot, almost taking down a fire hydrant in the process. I forced my foot to ease off the accelerator a bit.  
  
I was about 2 minutes from Catherine's house when I got stuck at a 10 minute red light. "Damn light," I cursed. I anxiously drummed my fingers on the steering wheel, doing anything to keep my mind off of Sara and whatever had happened with her.  
  
The second the light turned green, I sped up again and in less then a minute was pulling up in front of Catherine's house.  
  
I turned the car off, grabbed my keys, and leaped out of the car. I ran to the front door and pounded on it, trying hard to keep my cool. "It's open," I heard Catherine call from inside.  
  
I threw the door open and rushed into the living room, where I arrived to find Sara sprawled out on the floor, a pillow under her head and Catherine leaning over her with a wet washcloth, rubbing it over her forehead.  
  
"Grissom," Catherine sighed when she saw me. "Help me move her to the couch."  
  
I rushed over to Sara's side and scooped her up in my arms, placing her gently on the couch. Catherine was immediately at my side again, placing the cold compress onto Sara's head.  
  
"What happened?" I asked Catherine, turning my head toward her at the same moment that she turned hers toward me. I stopped moving, noticing that our lips were only inched apart.  
  
I looked at the smooth softness of them, the fullness, the way they were slightly parted, her breath coming out in jagged breaks. I imagined what it would be like to kiss them. My thoughts cut off as I realized who I was having these thoughts about.  
  
Catherine quickly pulled back, the hint of a blush creeping up her neck and into her cheeks. She looked away. "She passed out," she said softly, nodding towards Sara.  
  
I laughed. "I see that. But what happened that caused her to faint."  
  
"I really don't know," she said guiltily. "I was in the kitchen, making some tea for us, when I heard a loud crash. I ran in and found her sprawled out on the floor, that picture smashed next to her." She gestured to a picture lying on the floor, the glass frame smashed and in bits and pieces.  
  
I picked up the picture and faintly smiled. It was a picture of Catherine, Nick, Sara, and Hank, taken back when Sara and Hank were going out. I recalled the jealousy I had felt every day when I had seen Hank swing by the office to pick Sara up and take her back to her apartment.  
  
I put the picture back down and turned back to Catherine. "What was Sara doing here anyway? Greg told me that there was police tape around her apartment. What happened?" I shot all my questions at her.  
  
Catherine's nervously bit her lip, casting a quick glance at Sara. "Does Sara not want you to tell anyone?" I asked quickly, noting the look of guilt on her face. "It's ok if you tell me," I added, trying unsuccessfully not to sound nosy.  
  
"Well.." She started and then stopped again. Persuaded by my urging look, she continued. "Sara was raped," she whispered, turning her face away. But, before she did, I saw the faint tears glistening in the corner of her eye.  
  
"What?" I asked, astounded. I had assumed it was something bad, but nothing like.like.this.  
  
She nodded, still keeping her face turned from mine. "When?" I asked, my voice in a whisper.  
  
"Last night," she answered, sounding choked. "We went to the hospital and had her checked out. Everything's fine. The police are at her place now, looking for evidence of who it was."  
  
"You mean, she doesn't know who it was?" My voice raised slightly, and I saw Catherine shoot a look at Sara again, afraid that she would wake up and hear us talking about her.  
  
"He was wearing a ski mask." She trailed off, tears forming in her eyes again.  
  
"Is there anything that she does know about him?" I asked, my investigative side immediately stepping in.  
  
"Umm." She thought for a moment. "His eyes."  
  
"His eyes?"  
  
"Yeah.she said something about his eyes.they were brown.familiar."  
  
"You think she knows the guy?" I asked, disgusted.  
  
"I don't know. She thinks she does."  
  
I turned my attention back to Sara, lying still on the couch. It broke my heart to see her lying there, so vulnerable.  
  
Suddenly, as if on command, her eyes fluttered.  
  
"Sara?" Catherine asked, bending down to sit by her side on the couch. "Sara?"  
  
Her eyes fluttered again and then slowly opened. She looked around, her eyes taking everything in. "Sara? Do you know what happened?" I asked, suddenly afraid that maybe she had blanked out, gotten amnesia. The fixed her blank gaze on me, and then my face seemed to register something in her brain.  
  
She nodded slowly, quickly squeezing her eyes shut as pain gripped her head. "Oww.." She moaned, raising a hand to her forehead.  
  
"Grissom?" She asked, her gaze returning to me. "What are you doing here?" Her face turned quickly towards Catherine and then back to me.  
  
"I.uhh.I." I trailed off, thinking of something to say. I was afraid to mention that Catherine had called me, worried that Sara would get angry and push away the one person she felt like she needed at the moment.  
  
"I called him," Catherine stepped in quickly, saving me from having to answer. Sara's look shot back over to Catherine.  
  
"I just.I mean, you passed out.and I needed help.so I just thought."  
  
"It's ok, Cath," Sara answered hoarsely, turning away from us. "I'm assuming she told you what happened," she said, not angrily, more dejectedly.  
  
"Yeah, she did," I answered softly. "But she really needed my help, Sara. She only did it for you."  
  
"I know," she answered, whispering, her voice full of pain.  
  
"So.what happened to make you pass out?" I asked, jumping right to the point.  
  
She took a deep, shaky breath. "The picture," she whispered.  
  
"This picture?" I asked, retrieving the picture that I had looked at a few moments before.  
  
Her eyes flicked to it quickly and she nodded. "Why?" Catherine asked.  
  
"His eyes." Sara said, tears forming in her own.  
  
"Whose eyes?" I remembered what Catherine said earlier.  
  
"His.the guy who.the guy." She let her voice trail off I saw her struggling hard not to cry. It was hard to see her like this. I resisted the urge to take her in my arms. I could hear Catherine sniffling beside me.  
  
I waited as Sara blinked back her tears. She cast a glance at the picture in my hand. "His eyes.they're his eyes." She trailed off again, throwing me desperate look. "I think it's him."  
  
"Who?" Catherine and I asked at the same time.  
  
"Hank." 


	5. Catherine

Notes: Officer Mark Johnson is MY character. I made him up; don't steal him, blah blah blah.  
  
"Hank.."  
  
The name echoed in my mind. Sara's ex-boyfriend, the man who broke her heart. He did this to her?  
  
I felt anger building in me, especially when I looked down at Sara and watched the tears pool in her eyes before trailing down her cheeks.  
  
"Catherine, can I speak to you for a moment?" Grissom asked, taking my arm and leading me to the kitchen.  
  
"Hank?" I cried, in a loud whisper, spitting the name out I began pacing angrily. "He did this to her? I'm gonna kill him. I swear to God. I'm gonna ring his skinny little -."  
  
"Catherine," Grissom yelled, grabbing my arms and holding me in place. "Listen, we'll take care of Hank. But our first priority is to Sara."  
  
I nodded, the anger inside me turning into pity and, most of all, sadness as I pictured Sara's tear-stained face. I nodded, "You're right." I paused for a second before turning back to him. "What are we gonna do?"  
  
As if answering my question, the phone rang. Grissom and I looked at each other. "It's probably the police," I explained, swallowing past the lump that had formed in my throat.  
  
I reached for the phone, noticing the slight shaking in my hand. "Hello?" I answered after the third ring.  
  
"Catherine?" I recognized the voice.  
  
"Mark," I said to the Officer Johnson, the officer in charge of the investigation into Sara's rape. I cast a glance at Grissom and saw him leaving forward, hanging on my every word. I turned my back to him. "Any news?"  
  
"We found DNA on the sheets of the bed. Semen," he confirmed. "We also found a single strand of hair. We're taking them to the lab to run test right now."  
  
I nodded. "Tell them about Hank," Grissom hissed in the background.  
  
"Oh, I think I might have a possible suspect," I said quickly, before Mark could hang up. "A very strong possible suspect."  
  
"Who?"  
  
"Hank Peddigrew. Used to go out with Sara Sidle. She was looking at a picture of him here, and she's confirmed that he has the same eyes as the man who raped her. She thinks it's him."  
  
"Ok," Mark said. "We'll run some tests to confirm it."  
  
"Thanks, Mark," I said, suddenly exhausted. I replaced the phone and took a few deep breaths before turning back around to face Grissom. "They found semen on the bed and a strand of hair. They're gonna go run tests."  
  
I leaned back against the wall, closing my eyes and breathing deeply again. I felt tears form in my eyes again as I recalled the defeated look on Sara's face.  
  
I felt a pair of arms around me, and I let myself relax into Grissom's embrace. "It's OK, Cath," I heard him whisper. "We'll catch him."  
  
I looked up into his eyes, suddenly realizing how close our lips were. He moved his mouth closer to mine, pausing as his eyes searched mine. I smiled gently, and waited as he closed the distance between us, our lips meeting finally.  
  
I felt myself melt into him as we deepened the kiss. A smile played on the corner of my mouth as the realization of what we were doing suddenly set in. This was something that I had only dreamed of doing, something that I had never thought of as being a possibility before.  
  
As if on cue, I felt a vibration against my stomach. "What the hell?" Grissom cursed angrily, as he pulled back. He flipped his cell phone open. "Grissom," he answered shortly.  
  
"Yeah. Well, I thought we would take the night of to spend some time with Sara. Yeah, but --," he paused, listening to the person on the other end. "But shouldn't someone stay with her? Oh, ok. Well, I guess we'll be right in them," he said dejectedly. He flipped the phone shut and thrust it back into his pocket.  
  
"What was that about?" I asked, my curiosity getting the better of me.  
  
"That was Brass. They just got three new cases, a double homicide, a Jane Doe, and one apparent suicide." He paused, removing his glassed and wiping them on the edge of his short before returning them to his face. "They need both of us in."  
  
"What?" I cried. "But someone needs to stay with Sara." He nodded but turned away. "Gil, you're the boss. You can tell them that one of us needs to stay here."  
  
"You're right, Catherine, I am the boss." He paused again before continuing. "But Jim's right. This is a tough night, and they do need both of us there." I stuck my head into the living room where Sara was asleep on the couch. I smiled at how peaceful and happy she looked.  
  
"Well.." I let myself trail off, before turning back to Grissom. "You're right. Of coarse you're right. I'll just go leave a note for her for when she wakes up. My sister will be here with Lindsey in about an hour anyway. I'll have her stay with Sara until I get back."  
  
I jotted out a quick note and left it on the coffee table next to Sara, along with a fresh cup of tea. I stood staring at Sara for a few minutes, thinking about how happy she was before. I had never seen her cry in all of the years we had worked together. And now she was so unhappy. She doesn't deserve this.  
  
I was so lost in thought that I didn't hear Grissom come up beside me. "Do you really think it was him?" He asked softly, referring to Hank.  
  
I thought for a moment before answering. "I don't know. I'd like to think that it wasn't just some random psycho. But, at the same time, it hurts to think that we may have worked side by side with Hank on many of our cases, but we never suspected him to be like that. To be capable of doing something like.like that."  
  
Grissom took my arm and steered me toward the front door. As we headed towards his car, I cast a glance over my shoulder at a navy blue Passat that was parked across the street. I had never noticed it there before. But something about the car looked strangely familiar.  
  
"Come on," Grissom said, taking my hand. The gesture pulled my attention away from the strange car. I gently squeezed Grissom's hand, loving the feel of my soft, small one in his tough, large one.  
  
As he started the car and pulled out of the drive, I barely gave another car to that strange, familiar car across the street. 


	6. Hank

Notes: Ok, one of the reviewers suggested that I do a chapter from Hank's point of view, so that's what this is. Hope it turns out well. Please review!! And don't be afraid to give me some constructive criticism instead of just compliments!! Enjoy!!  
  
I pulled the binoculars down from my face and sat staring at her apartment. I watched the swarm of police marching up and down those steps, searching for evidence that I knew they wouldn't find.  
  
I wasn't stupid, you know. I happen to work extremely closely with some of the top CSIs in the country. I know all the tricks to not leaving any evidence behind.  
  
I wore gloves, of coarse. Any idiot would know to wear gloves. Not to mention the ski mask and cap I wore. My eyes were the only part on my face that was visible to Sara. Not even a single strand of hair could be seen from under the cap. I laughed softly as I imagined the officers ransacking her apartment in vain.  
  
I carefully placed the binoculars back into the glove compartment. I glanced at my watch. 4:26. I had been there since 9:00 that morning. I'd better leave before I get suspicious.  
  
I turned the key in the ignition, delighting in the sound of the engine purring to life. Casting one last glance over my shoulder to Sara's apartment, I put the car in drive and pulled out of there. "Now, on to Ms. Willows' house," I said to myself, suppressing the laugh that was building itself in my throat.  
  
I turned into Catherine's neighborhood a short ten minutes later. Just in time too, as Gil Grissom and Catherine were just walking out of the house. I pulled out the newspaper that I kept on the passenger seat and opened it so as not to seem suspicious.  
  
I peered out quickly from behind the newspaper. I watched as Catherine stopped in the middle of the driveway and stared out at me. It unnerved me a little to see her peering at me so intensely. But there was no reason for me to be nervous. She had only seen my car a time or two; there would be no way for her to recognize the car.  
  
I shook my head, quickly trying to ignore the anxiety that was creeping up my spine. I turned back just in time to see Grissom leading her away and to his car.  
  
I waited until they had pulled out of the neighborhood, before pulling the ski mask and cap down over my face and head. I checked my reflection quickly in the rearview mirror, tucking all strands of hair away.  
  
I slipped out of the car, looking both ways to make sure that no one was looking. Dashing across the street, I slipped behind Catherine's car and around to the back of the house.  
  
I slipped my gloved fingers into the crack of a window. I cursed, finding all of the windows locked. Reaching into the back of my coat pocket, I pulled out a hammer. I stuck it into the crack where the window met the ledge and pulled upwards.  
  
I pulled myself through the window, stepping down into what looked like a little girl's bedroom. I paused, listening for any clues that someone else was there with Sara. Hearing none, I continued on through the house.  
  
The sound of steady breathing led me to what must have been the living room. I looked around at the various pictures spread around the room. My smile froze on my face as I reached the coffee table. I stood there, staring down at a picture. The only picture in the room that had me in it. The anxiety I had felt earlier came rushing back at me, full force.  
  
I turned to the couch, coming face to face with my sleeping love. As if sensing my presence, her brown eyes fluttered open and came to rest on my face. Her eyes grew wide and I heard her sharp intake of breath.  
  
"Hello, Sara, my love," I cooed, reaching out and touching her hair.  
  
"No," she cried, pulling back, fear flashing through her eyes.  
  
I pinned her arms to her side, leaning down to kiss her. I climbed onto her, deepening the kiss. I could feel her struggling underneath me. "Don't fight it, Sara," I whispered into her ear. "You know you want it."  
  
I moved my lips to her neck, covering her mouth with my right hand, my left still holding her arms down. Just then, I heard the sound of a key in the lock. "Shit," I cursed, jumping off of her.  
  
I threw one last look at my love, watching her face crumble as sobs built up inside her, before I turned and bolted out of the room. I practically leaped out of the window, pulling it closed behind me. Crouching low to the ground, I stopped to catch my breath. I pressed my hand against my chest, willing my heart to slow its steady pounding. 


	7. Sara

Notes: Sorry this chapter is so short. It's hard to write long chapters from just one person's POV. Sorry about that.  
  
I heard the key turn in the lock.  
  
"Shit," Hank cursed. Jumping off of me, he ran out towards the back of the house.  
  
I opened my mouth to scream, but nothing came out. I struggled to say something, to call out, but it was like my voice was caught somewhere in the back of my throat.  
  
I felt my hands start shaking. I clenched them into fists, willing them to stay still, but they wouldn't stop. The shaking moved up my arms to my shoulders, and then it spread through my whole body. I felt my teeth chatter with the effort to keep still.  
  
"Aunt Sara," Lindsey cried, bolting into the room. She stopped short at the sight of me, lying there shaking. I tried to stop for her sake; I tried to call out her name, to ask her to get help. A sob escaped from my lips. "Aunt Sara?" She took a few steps closer. "Are you ok?" Receiving no response, she turned around and called to her real aunt, Catherine's sister, "Aunt Jen, something's wrong with Aunt Sara, come quick."  
  
I heard footsteps coming closer. I closed my eyes, finding it too hard to keep them open any longer. "Sara, are you ok?" Someone asked. I recognized the voice as Jen, Catherine's sister, whom I had only met a time or two.  
  
The shaking got worse. "Lindsey, stay with Aunt Sara," she instructed firmly. "I'm gonna go call your mom."  
  
A small hand brushed back a strand of my hair. "It's ok, Aunt Sara. Mommy will be here to take care of you in a little while. Don't worry." She kissed my forehead. I tried to relax, to hang onto Lindsey's words and let them comfort me.  
  
I was falling into darkness. The voices of Lindsey and Jen were fading further and further away until they were just small murmurs, just barely audible.  
  
"Don't cry, Aunt Sara," Lindsey whispered. Was I crying? A cold wetness dripped down my chin. I guess I was.  
  
"Catherine? Something's wrong with Sara," Jen said in the background. "Shaking.won't talk.Lindsey is." Bits and pieces of the conversation floated across the room to me. I tried to use the words to pull myself back to reality, but, instead, I found myself drifting further away.  
  
A larger hand touched my forehead. I jumped at the feel of the warm skin on mine. My breath was coming out short and ragged. It was getting harder and harder to breathe. "Sara, it's OK," Jen said, placing a cold compress on my head. "Someone will be here soon. Everything will be OK."  
  
"Lindsey, get the door," Jen called out a few minutes later.  
  
"Sara, are you ok?" Nick called out, rushing to my side. Oh God, not Nick. Anyone but Nick.  
  
I opened my eyes slowly, taking in his worried expression. "Sara?" He repeated. "Sara, speak to me." I opened my mouth, but all that came out was a strangled cry. I struggled to sit up. A sharp pain split shot through my stomach. Doubling over in pain, I let out a sharp cry.  
  
"It's OK, Sara. I'm just gonna pick you up and take you out to the car. It might hurt a little, but just hold on. We'll be at the hospital in a few minutes." He pulled me into his arms, cradling me against his chest.  
  
"N-N-Nick," I stuttered.  
  
"Shh.Don't talk, Sara." The pain in my stomach got worse, ripping me apart with every wave of the searing pain. "It's OK, Sara, just hold on." I heard the panic in his voice.  
  
We sped out of the neighborhood. I felt Nick glancing at me periodically. I wanted so badly to ask him why he was the one who had come to my rescue, how he had known to come. But I couldn't find the words to say anything.  
  
"Catherine and Grissom were busy in a crime scene," Nick replied, reading my thoughts. "Catherine got the call from Jen, and she panicked. She didn't know what to do. She was needed at the scene, but she also needed to get to you. So she called me. I had already finished with my case. She explained everything to me." He seemed to stress the word everything.  
  
I wanted so badly to be angry with Catherine for telling Grissom and Nick my secret, but I knew that she had only done what she thought she needed to do. She was only trying to help me.  
  
I doubled over as another wave of pain hit my stomach. Nick pulled to a stop in front of the hospital. He scooped me into his arms again, lifting my carefully and running with me into the building.  
  
My hands shook as I clung tightly to Nick. I buried my face against his shirt, trying to stifle my sobs. "Nurse," Nick called out breathlessly. "I need your help. There's something wrong with Sara."  
  
"Hold on a moment, sir, we'll get her a wheelchair right away." She pressed a button, and, seconds later, another nurse came around the corner with a hospital wheelchair. Nick lowered me into it. I struggled to catch my breath while the second nurse wheeled me away.  
  
Looking back at Nick, I watched as the first nurse thrust a pile of forms at him. He looked back at me helplessly. I wanted to call to him, to tell him that I would be OK, to thank him for being there, but I couldn't back a sound.  
  
I was pulled into a hospital room. Another nurse rushed in, and both of them helped me into the empty bed. As my head reached the pillow, another wave of pain washed over me, followed by another round of violent shaking. I screamed and then..everything went black. 


	8. Catherine

I rushed into the crowded hospital waiting room, Grissom at my side. "Nick," I cried, seeing our southern friend waiting there. "How is she?"  
  
"I don't know," he answered as he stood up to face us. His face was pale and there were dark circles under his eyes. "As soon as they got her into the bed, she blacked out again."  
  
Warrick showed up just then, two cups of coffee in his hands. He thrust one of them into his Nick's hand and took a sip from the other. "Thanks," Nick said softly, collapsing back into the chair he had been sitting in when we first walked in.  
  
I shot Grissom a guilty look. "We should have been there with her, Gil," I whispered. "If we had been t here, this wouldn't have happened."  
  
The doctor came out just then. "Hello, I'm Dr. Andrews. Are you the friends of Sara Sidle?"  
  
"Yes, we are," I answered, standing up to face him. Grissom was immediately at my side again, his arm draped protectively over my shoulders.  
  
"Well, she's regained consciousness. Sara had an extremely severe panic attack." He looked down at his chart. "We found traces of saliva on her neck and chest. There's a chance that it could be hers, but we're sending it in to be tested just to be on the safe side."  
  
"Wait," Grissom interrupted. "If it's not her saliva, then whose could it be?" He tightened his hold on me, afraid of the answer he would get.  
  
The doctor took a breath before continuing. "We think that, while you were gone, Sara might have had another visit from the man who raped her. We think that might be what caused her attack."  
  
I drew in a deep breath and felt my knees go weak. Grissom helped me to sit back down. He turned back to Dr. Andrews. "You mean, you think she might have been raped?"  
  
"Not exactly," he answered. "We know she wasn't raped again, but we think that he might have come back to try."  
  
I looked up. "He must have been there right before Jen got back with Lindsey. He probably got scared away when he heard them coming in." Grissom nodded.  
  
"How's Sara now?" Nick questioned, worriedly.  
  
"She's fine," Dr. Andrews assured him. "Now, we're just getting ready to test her to see if she's pregnant." I breathed in sharply. His attention turned to me. "It's just a precaution," he replied quickly to reassure me. "There's still a big chance that she's not pregnant." A red-headed nurse came up just then. "Excuse me, Dr. Andrews," she interrupted. "Ms. Sidle is ready to be tested."  
  
"Alright, I'll be right there." She walked back in the direction of Sara's room. Dr. Andrews turned back to us. "I'll let you guys know as soon as I know anything about her."  
  
"Thank you," I whispered.  
  
The second he was gone, Warrick turned to us all angrily. "Sara was raped?!?! Why didn't I know this?!?!"  
  
"I just found it out myself today," Nick said.  
  
They both turned to me. "I'm assuming that that's why she called you yesterday," Warrick said.  
  
"Yes," I nodded, tears burning my eyes. "She didn't want anyone to know, so I didn't tell anyone."  
  
"Then how did Grissom know?" A mixture of anger and pain flashed through Nick's eyes. "Why did you tell him instead of me?"  
  
"Because Grissom's the boss. She would have had to tell him eventually anyway. And I needed his help with her when she passed earlier today."  
  
"And what about Nick? How did he know?" Warrick asked. "Why am I always the last to know everything?"  
  
"Listen, what's done is done," Grissom said sharply. "It doesn't matter who knew first, or who knew last. We all know now. And our first priority should be to Sara."  
  
"You're right," Warrick replied, resigning. He said down, taking small sips from his coffee.  
  
A small headache was beginning to form. I leaned back and closed me eyes, rubbing my temples to stop the pain that was beginning to pound there. "Cath, why don't you get home and get some sleep," Grissom suggested, placing his hand on my arm.  
  
I shook my head fervently. "I can't go. I need to stop here..for Sara."  
  
He sat down next to me, placing his arm around me again. "Why don't you at least get some sleep then?" He suggested. I leaned into his, my head resting into the crook of his neck. In seconds, I was asleep.  
  
I awoke when Grissom shifted slightly in his seat. "Sorry," he apologized, grinning sheepishly.  
  
"It's fine," I answered, trying to suppress a yawn.  
  
My phone rang just then. "Willows," I answered.  
  
"It's Officer Johnson," he replied. "We searched her apartment again and found vomit in her toilet. We also found traces of alcohol in the vomit."  
  
"You mean, he was drunk when he raped her?" I cried in disbelief.  
  
"Yes. And we got back the DNA tests from the vomit, the semen, and the strand of hair. They all belong to the same person, a Hank Peddigrew."  
  
I was dumbfounded. I had expected this; I had known this. But hearing it out loud was something completely different. "Catherine? Are you still there?"  
  
"Yeah, I'm still here," I said, breaking into tears. Dammit, why am I being so emotional?  
  
"Ok, well, we're looking for him now. His apartment has been abandoned. Not a thing left there. We don't have a new address for him though. And his car was also found abandoned at a local park."  
  
"His car?" I thought back to the blue Passat that had been parked across the street from my house that day.  
  
"Yes," he answered. "A navy blue Passat." I gasped. "Catherine, what's wrong?"  
  
"That car." I struggled to pull myself together. "That car was parked in front of my house earlier today.  
  
"It was?"  
  
"Yes. But I thought it was a neighbor's car or something. I never thought it could be his."  
  
"Don't worry about it, Catherine; it's not your fault.  
  
I nodded, trying to convince myself. "Ok, let me know if you find out anything else." I hung up before he could say anything else.  
  
"What did they find?" Grissom asked anxiously. I turned around to find all three of the men staring at me in anticipation.  
  
"They got the DNA tests back. They're all a match. They all match Hank Peddigrew" I quickly relayed the rest of the information Officer Johnson had told me about Hank. "That jackass," Warrick commented, his voice dangerously low.  
  
"I second that," Grissom added.  
  
I turned to Nick and found him staring off behind me. "What's up, man?" Warrick asked. The three of us spun around to see what Nick was looking at.  
  
We found Sara heading down the hall towards us. Her face was pale, the bruises standing out even more, and her eyes were shrunken in and red- rimmed from crying.  
  
"Sara, what's wrong?" Nick questioned, taking a few steps in her direction.  
  
My eyes traveled down to Sara's hand, where she held a handful of papers. Oh, God, no. I silently prayed that I was wrong.  
  
"Sara, are you OK?" Nick asked, moving closer to her. Sara stopped, her eyes traveling across each of our faces until they settled on mine.  
  
"Catherine.." She said shakily, fresh tears forming in her eyes. She took another step forward. Please, God, no, I silently prayed again.  
  
"Catherine, I'm.." She trailed off before looking back to my face. "I'm pregnant." 


	9. Nick

Notes: A few reviewers mentioned that it would really be too early for Sara to know if she was pregnant or not. Well, I DO realize that, but this is fan FICTION, so I made it so that it IS possible, ok? Lol.  
  
"I'm pregnant.." The world came crashing down on me at Sara's revelation. A wave of silence formed among us.  
  
Catherine was the first one to break out of the trance. She rushed forward, taking the younger CSI into her arms. "It's OK, Sara. We're all here for you."  
  
I stepped forward and wrapped my arms around the two of them. Warrick was the next to join in on the group hug. Even Grissom was in on it after a few minutes.  
  
"What am I gonna do?" Sara asked, looking up at us with tears in her eyes.  
  
I hugged her closer. "I don't know," I answered honestly. "But we'll all support you in any decision you make."  
  
"Thanks, Nicky," she whispered, her voice choked with emotion. She turned towards me and buried her face in my chest. I wrapped my arms tighter around her.  
  
I looked up at the faces of our co-workers and friends. Catherine had tears streaming down her face. And Warrick and Grissom were both trying not to cry.  
  
"Hey, Sara?" She pulled back slightly, and looked up at me. "Why don't you come stay at my place tonight?"  
  
She thought for a second, her eyes darting back and forth between Catherine and me. "It's ok, Sara," Catherine said quickly. "You'll probably get more sleep at Nick's place."  
  
"Ok," she said softly. "Umm...I'm just need to splash some water on my face, and then we can go."  
  
I nodded and watched as she slowly walked away in the direction of the restroom. Catherine's hand on my arm broke through my thoughts. "You love her, don't you?"  
  
"Yeah, I do," I admitted. My eyes were burning with emotions. "I love her," I repeated softly, admitting it for the first time ever out loud. She smiled softly.  
  
Sara came back around the corner just then. I put my arm around her and led her to my car in the parking lot. I flicked the radio on, tuning it to the local classic rock station, for Sara's sake.  
  
We pulled up in front of my apartment, and I rushed around the car to open the door for Sara. I took her arm and helped her stand up. She yawned as she stepped out of the car, and then sheepishly smiled when she realized that I had seen her. "I haven't gotten much sleep for the past two nights," she explained.  
  
I unlocked the door and tossed my keys on the kitchen table. "Why don't you sleep in my bed tonight? I'll take the couch." She opened her mouth to protest, so I quickly added, "Besides, you need the sleep." Before she could protest again, I took her arm and led her down the hall to my bedroom.  
  
I searched through the drawers until I found an oversized shirt and a pair of sweatpants. "You can sleep in these if you want," I said softly, handing Sara the clothes.  
  
Her eyes misted over slightly. "Thanks."  
  
"No problem, Sara," I said quickly.  
  
"No, Nick, I mean.for everything." She rushed on, "I mean, you're always there for me, whenever I've needed you. Thank you."  
  
I pulled her into a hug, kissing her softly on the head as I held her. Pulling back, I saw a soft smile playing on her mouth. "The bathroom's over there," I added with a smile.  
  
I headed to the living room, flopping down on the couch and flipping the TV on. Finding nothing on, I turned the set off, and pulled out the new John Grisham book I just started.  
  
A few minutes later, a shuffling sound in the hallway drew my attention. I turned around to find Sara heading in my direction. "Hey, I'm gonna go to bed now," she informed me. "I just wanted to let you know."  
  
I nodded. "Goodnight. If you need anything, I'll be in here."  
  
I watched her retreating form. It seemed like days since I had seen her smile. I mean, really smile. Smile so that her eyes lit up. I had seen her smile a few times today, but they were all empty smiles, blank and deserted; emotionless.  
  
I picked up my book again. It was pointless to even try to sleep; there was too much on my mind. I had just opened my book, when the phone rang, the sudden sound cutting through the silence and startling me.  
  
"Stokes," I answered.  
  
"Nick, it's Catherine. I just got a call from Brass." She sounded excited, out of breath.  
  
"Hey. What's up?"  
  
"We have a motive," she said excitedly. "We just spoke to Hank's girlfriend, Elaine. Well, his ex-girlfriend, as of two days ago?"  
  
"What?" I asked, incredulously.  
  
"She dumped his two days ago. She found out that he had been cheating on her with Sara. She was hurt and angry, and she dumped him. Apparently, Hank then went out to a bar, got drunk, and then came up with the plan to get back at Sara." I was speechless. There was nothing I could think of to say. I wasn't sure how to react. I should be excited, happy that we have a reason to arrest him. But we don't know where he is at the moment. This information might help us out in the long-run, but it doesn't help too much in the short-run.  
  
"Nick? You still there?" She asked, her voice cutting through my thoughts.  
  
"Yeah, I'm here," I answered. After clearing my thought, I added, "That's good news."  
  
"Then why don't you sound too happy?" The confusion was evident in her voice.  
  
"I don't know," I replied. "I should be happy, I know that. And I am.I guess. It's just.we don't know where he is. So how're we going to catch him?"  
  
"We're working on that, Nick," she answered. "Warrick just visited the bar. Bartender says that he ordered Jack Daniels, same type that was found in the vomit in Sara's bathroom. Brass says that that's enough to get us a warrant into his apartment. He might not be there, but the landlord can let us in."  
  
I smiled, the excitement now building up inside me. "That's great," I gushed.  
  
"Yeah, it is." She paused for a moment. "So how's Sara?"  
  
"She's fine. She just went to bed actually."  
  
"That's great. She hasn't gotten any sleep since.you know." She trailed her off, and an awkward silence settled between us.  
  
"Well, I'm gonna try and get some sleep," I said, just making an excuse to get off the phone. "Call me if you find anything else." We said our goodbyes and both hung up.  
  
I went back to the couch and was just sitting down, when I heard the screamed coming from the next room. I rushed in, fear gripping me, thinking that Hank might have come back. I entered the bedroom and found Sara lying on the bed alone, thrashing, her hands clawing at the air, trying to fight off some invisible man.  
  
In seconds, I was at her side, shaking her. "Sara, wake up. It's just a nightmare." I rocked her back and forth, brushing her hair out of her face and behind her ears. "It's ok, Sara."  
  
"Nick?" She asked softly, her voice thick with emotion. "Shh...it was just a dream," I cooed gently, continuing to rock her back and forth.  
  
"It was so real, Nick. I could feel him. I could hear him. His voice, Nick, it was so full of hate. So angry." Her voice broke as sobs took over her body.  
  
My arms tightened around her as her sobs grew softer. As they ended, I lay her back on the bed, loosening my hold on her. "I don't know what to do, Nick," she whispered. "I can't have an abortion."  
  
"It's ok, Sara," I said, kissing her forehead.  
  
"And I can't give her up for adoption. I'm not strong enough. I can't carry her in me for nine months and then just.give her up." I heard the desperation in her voice. I noticed her use of the female pronoun she used while describing the baby. I didn't question it. "I have to keep her, Nick," she added quietly, her voice barely audible.  
  
"Ok, Sara," I said, "You can keep her." The wheels in my head started turning. Before I could think about anything else, I quickly said, "We could get married." It was more of a question than anything else.  
  
The silence was so thick that I almost thought that she hadn't heard me, or else that she had fallen asleep. "Are you asking me to marry you?"  
  
"I don't know.I guess I am." I held my breath, waiting for her response.  
  
"Ok." She answered, snuggling up besides me. 


	10. Sara

Waking up, I felt a warm feeling wash over me. I opened my eyes, slowly at first, willing them to get used to the morning light. I came face to face with Nick, his face calm and peaceful, still asleep. One arm was thrown over my shoulder, pulling me to him. I lifted my head slightly, remembering the night before. It couldn't have been a dream, right? If I'm here, with Nick, then everything must have really happened. He must have really proposed marriage. But was he serious? Or was he delirious from lack of sleep?  
  
I brushed a stray hair out of his face, letting my fingers linger on his cheek. His eyes fluttered open slowly. He gazed around for a moment before his eyes came to rest on my face. "Hey," he said softly, a smile gracing his perfect face.  
  
"Hey," I whispered back. I felt a smile form on my own face. I felt weird smiling after everything I had been through in the past few days. But it's impossible to be around Nick and not be happy. That's just the kind of person he is.  
  
I leaned forward until my lips met his, letting them touch softly before pulling back. I was nervous for a second, afraid that Nick didn't return my feelings for him. That everything he had said before had been said without thought at all. Those thoughts evaporated as quickly as they had come, however, when Nick leaned forward and kissed me again.  
  
As he pulled back, I looked into his eyes, and the feelings I saw in them mirrored my own. "Were you serious last night?" I asked, looking away quickly so he wouldn't see the fear and anxiety in my eyes.  
  
"Serious about what?" Nick asked, confused.  
  
"About what you asked me.about marriage."  
  
He cupped my chin in his hand and turned it so that we were face to face again. "Of course, I meant it," he said, his voice thick with emotion. "I love you, Sara, I have always loved you. And I would love to marry you and raise this baby together."  
  
"But, Nick.this baby.she's Hank's. Why would you want to raise Hank's baby?"  
  
"Because, my dear, she's not only Hank's baby. She's also yours." He kissed me again and I felt all resistance melt. "Of course, I'll have to get you a ring. But I have something you can wear in the meantime." He pulled back and got off the bed. He opened the closet and pulled out a few small cardboard boxes. He searched through them until, finally, he found what he had been looking for.  
  
He held something behind his back, and walked back to me. He kneeled down on the floor in front of me. Pulling his hand out from behind his back, he revealed a gold high school ring with a big red jewel on it. "Sara, will you marry me?"  
  
My smile grew wider. "Yes, Nick, I will." He slipped the ring on my finger and then sat beside me on the bed, kissing me again, as if cementing the proposal.  
  
I leaned in to deepen the kiss, but I felt Nick pull back. He laughed at the confused expression on my face. "We've got plenty of time for that, Sara," he said, still laughing.  
  
The phone rang just then, breaking up our happy moment. Nick picked it up. "Nick Stokes, happiest man in the world," he answered it. I giggled. "Hey, Cath, what's up? Yeah, Sara's fine." He looked at me quickly, winking, which threw me into another giggling fit.  
  
I watched his expression change to anger, to sadness, and then back to happy, although not quite at the level it was at before. "What it is?" I questioned eagerly.  
  
"Ok, thanks for letting me know. Yeah, I'll tell her." He hung up the phone and then turned back to me, smiling. "They caught him," he said quickly. "They caught Hank."  
  
"What?" I felt the tears stinging my eyes, but they were tears of happiness.  
  
He put his arms around me, holding me close. Placing his hand on my stomach, he kissed me. "We're gonna have a baby. And we're gonna raise her.or him.as our own. I'll be a real father to her.or him."  
  
"It's gonna be a girl, Nick," I insisted. "I just know it will be."  
  
He laughed. "Then I'm sure it will be." He kissed me again, more passionately now. "I love you, Sara Sidle."  
  
"I love you too, Nick Stokes," I said against his lips.  
  
The End.  
  
Notes: Keep an eye out for the sequel to this. It'll be called Just Missed The Train and it'll be about their little girl. 


End file.
